The invention concerns a dietetically balanced milk product containing a mixture of lipids of lactic origin and of vegetable origin.
Lipids, apart from their function as a source of energy, have various roles in nutrition as a source of essential fatty acids:
as compounds indispensable to the cellular structure and to membranous functions, PA1 as precursors for eicosanoid metabolites which take part in many physiological systems such as the cardiovascular system, and PA1 as regulators for blood lipids. PA1 The input of saturated fatty acids in food should be limited by reason of their influence on the increase in cholesterol and total lipids and on the increase in the cholesterol of the low density lipoproteins (LDL) considered as one of the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. PA1 Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids exert a favourable effect on blood lipids by reducing the cholesterol of the LDLs. PA1 Polyunsaturated fatty acids should not be consumed in too great a quantity so as not to induce equally a reduction in the cholesterol of the beneficial high density lipoproteins (HDL), and so as not to increase the risks associated with the peroxidation of these fatty acids at the cellular level. PA1 Among the polyunsaturated fatty acids, the specific effects of the fatty acids of the n-3 family, for example alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) or its derivatives, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which exert a favourable effect on the blood triglycerides and reduce the risks of platelet. aggregation and hence, of thrombosis, should be distinguished. PA1 In conjunction with the input of polyunsaturated fatty acids through food, account should be taken of competitions between fatty acids of the n-6 family and those of the n-3 family during metabolism by desaturases which determine the formation of fatty acids with C.sub.20, precursors of biologically active eicosanoids. PA1 Among the polyunsaturated fatty acids, physiological activities may differ according to the carbon chain length or the degree of unsaturation. Reference may be made for example to gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) with a degree of unsaturation of 3, which has a more pronounced activity on the control of blood lipids than do the other members of the n-6 family. The same is true, for example, for EPA and DHA in the n-3 series. PA1 The food input of the polyunsaturated fatty acids must be accompanied with a sufficient input of antioxidant elements as, for example, tocopherols to prevent oxidative modifications of the LDLs which contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. PA1 20 to 40% of saturated fatty acids of predominantly lactic origin, PA1 35 to 60% of monounsaturated fatty acids and PA1 15 to 30% of polyunsaturated fatty acids of the n-3 and n-6 families and
The physiological response to the consumption of food lipids depends on the composition of these lipids in fatty acids. Fatty acids are classified in various families, n-9, n-6 and n-3, according to their structure, namely according to the presence and position of the double bonds in the carbon chain. Each family has its own specific activity, but interactions exist between the various families during metabolism. In the case of the control of blood lipids, several criteria should be taken into account:
For polyunsaturated fatty acids, the following criteria should however be taken into account:
According to French Patent Application 2 667 483, a substitute is known for dairy cream aimed at patients at risk from cardiovascular disease, in which milk fats are replaced by a mixture of maize oil and coconut oil.
In U.K. Patent Application Publication No. GB 2 273 234, a liquid or powdered milk is described, designed to prevent cardiovascular risks, in which milk fats are replaced by a vegetable fat containing substantially monounsaturated fatty acids.